29 Miners trapped In New Zealand is now a recovery, not a rescue.

[Ross]

2nd Methane explosion in mine shaft where 29 trapped miners are, is now a recovery and not a rescue.

Friday last week, when a Methane explosion ripped through the mine shaft trapping 29 miners was then looked upon as a hopeful rescue, however, rescue efforts where put on hold due to the fear of a secondary explosion causing anger from families and the country at large, as nothing was seemingly being done.

The rescue teams had this one right, their fears, sadley came to pass.

A very sad day for all New Zealanders.

Ross.

[Isthatso]

What a shock to us all here in NZ, waiting and hoping for some sign of life. Thankfully the West Coaster's have a strong suportive community - they will band together and get through this. Blessings to everyone touched by this tragedy.

[Ross]

As a fellow Kiwi, my heart goes out to all concerned.

[TigaHawk]

i'm angerd with them sitting around and waiting. they should have start digging immediately and stopped when they were aprox 1 meter away and just lower weight onto it to break through,

:(

[Ross]

i'm angerd with them sitting around and waiting. they should have start digging immediately and stopped when they were aprox 1 meter away and just lower weight onto it to break through,


There is already word going around that they are covering up somthing...problem with mine before hand... Umm ok, ya think?

Also word saying possibly levels of gas will hinder recovery and perhaps never will recover the bodies. A good way to hide something?

Lastnight Australian robtic/electronic expert said they shoudnt use 2nd robot ( after 1st one malfunctioned) due to non sheilded electronics and could cause a further explosion.

Today both robots were in the shaft but 'they' havnt said if they were active and in shaft when secondary explosion occured.

A lot of angry people and it seems they have cause to be.

Ross

[witchy1]

Was speaking to my sister tonight - she was saying the Old experienced Miners have said they should have gone in straight away after the first explosion. Apparently the air is clear then....... What on earth were they doing?? Who were they listening to.
Why are the police running the show. Surely the military would have all the tools, breathing apparatus and special suits to deal with these situations (or did we sell those off to) - Good grief, we are only 3 hours away - Aust offered immediately!!! If anyone knows about mining it should be these guys.

Sent in a robot that broke down coz it had a drip of water on it, after several days I might add......and what do you know, no back up. Ah well, lets get another couple, one from here and one from the states. Should have been done at the start. What was a robot going to acheive anyway - take videos of collapsed walls.........This whole thing reeks.

How do they know they are a lost cause. They drilled a small hole (no where near where they think the men are I might add) and it had gas fumes in it. Duh' Couldn't the men be trapped behind walls without being affected by gas (or fire)

I'm the same - I dont think they had any intention of ever getting them out (well they havnt acted like it) ... think Im stuck in the anger stage of the grief cycle....... Its appalling. How is this situation any different that Chile or China???

My heart bleeds for them all

Addit: Wonder if its anything to do with it being a privately owned mining operation???

[witchy1]

See what I mean - there is still a possibility

Pockets of air trapped in dead-end corners of Pike River could be providing safe havens for the trapped miners, a coalmining expert says.
"I'm not saying it's true and I'm not guaranteeing it, but it is possible," Professor David Cliff, from the Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre at Queensland University said.

Gas samples taken from the bore hole, finished early this morning, have shown high levels of methane and carbon monoxide and small amounts of oxygen coming from the mine.
Cliff said some of those gases would be moving about and some would be trapped, leaving room for pockets of oxygen.

The dead ends were "the most likely place" the miners might survive, especially if they put up some sort of screening to stop the air flow.
Humans could survive on 12 or 13 per cent oxygen in the air, he said.
"If would be uncomfortable but they could survive."

He does go on to say however that its the risk of explosion preventing men going in.

Rest of story here: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/pike-river-mine-explosion/4381312/Deadly-mine-gases-explained

Wonder why they arnt drilling air vents or something to release the gases.......... but what do I know - ever the optomist

[morguana]

A recovery oh poor people, I feel so sad for their loved ones, I have hope in my heart that by some stroke of luck, they are still alive and will be rescued.
Feels odd to thank you Ross as this is sad news indeed :(
m

[Ross]

Surely the military would have all the tools, breathing apparatus and special suits to deal with these situations (or did we sell those off to)

The first robot was from NZ military, but as with all NZ military equipment they are old and basically used for training. Was this robot up to it...no! Yes, water holted the 1st robot...that should never of happened, the 2nd from OZ was able to operate in wet conditons but again I say it was not designed to operate in a methane/carbon monoxide enviroment, experts warned them of the non-sheilding electronics...only the smallest amount of current/spark will set of methane. Extremely combustable.

Without doubt there were several errors, The main one for me is this: every 50-100 mtrs along all shafts are gas detectors, this mine is new so the equipment should be 'state of the art'...you would think? Why did they not detect the gas? coal leaches gases and this is the primary safety tech used.

many questions...but will we get truthful answers?

Ross

[shiva777]

yeah,it's a sad event...according to the gas levels I would be surprised if any of the miners survived to even a day after the first explosion so I doubt that they suffered many days of being trapped down there..

...some Maori elders have said that that is a very special area of the planet and there is a curse on that mining operation and this is why that mine had so many problems in many areas of it's development and operations..I get the feeling Mother Earth is starting to make it more and more known that she has HAD ENOUGH of humanities exploitation of her body...more and more mining accidents are happening in the world now

...seem to be alot of fellow Kiwi's in this group...KIA KAHA!

[Ross]

yeah,it's a sad event...according to the gas levels I would be surprised if any of the miners survived to even a day after the first explosion so I doubt that they suffered many days of being trapped down there..

...some Maori elders have said that that is a very special area of the planet and there is a curse on that mining operation and this is why that mine had so many problems in many areas of it's development and operations..

I agree with this...my first intuition was not a good one... the day it happened...

Tha Maori elders know their stuff...seen many an area in NZ where there is 'heavy energy' and yes we ask for all we get when we rape and pilliage our mother earth.

Ross

[witchy1]

...seen many an area in NZ where there is 'heavy energy'

Aint that the truth - ever been up flag pole hill in the bay of islands - could hardly stand up!

I think the mining accidents are occuring with all the plate shifts / earthquakes / eruptions etc. IMHO I believe our mother earth has been around for squillions of years and seen / felt worse than what we are doing (and I know its wrong) but shes a hardy old girl and will just shrug it all off like fleas off a dog and carry on. I think she can cope with mining in the grand scheme of things. I am not sure however that she copes well with underground nuke testing and probably all the tunnelling going on under the surface - which is maybe what is moving the plates....Not good I think

[HURRITT ENYETO]

4th Blast in New Zealand mine starts coal fire.



WELLINGTON, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Hopes of retrieving the bodies of 29 workers at New Zealand South Island's Pike River coal mine was dealt another blow with the announcement that an explosion on Sunday has started a coal fire in the mine.

The fourth explosion since Nov. 19 occurred at about 2 p.m. There were no injuries from the explosion and people working near the entrance to the mine were moved away from the area for their safety.

Coal smoke and flames, rather than gas, are now coming out of the shaft, and it's likely that coal brought down by the explosions is on fire.

Pike River Coal's chief executive Peter Whittall said on Sunday that it may be necessary to seal the mine - at least temporarily - to put out the fire, before using a jet engine, known as a GAG machine, to expel gases.

He said sealing the mine temporarily would help to starve it of oxygen, but it would take more time because the mine would have to be made air-tight.

Whittall said he has told the miners' families that the last two explosions will make the recovery of the bodies an even longer process.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-11/28/c_13625840.htm